During Prayers on May 2, 2014, two Grade 9 Art students explored how visual arts is making a difference in the lives of others by introducing one of our new community partners called ZimArt, which is working to build a school in Zimbabwe through the sale of Shona sculptures at Rice Lake Gallery.
Havergal’s Artist-in-Residence Mr. Simon Chidharara spoke to the crowd about his work creating Shona sculptures. He will be working with Dr. Davidson and her Grade 9 Art students on creating Shona sculptures until May 13. Ms. Fran Fearnley, Curator for ZimArt’s Rice Lake Gallery, also spoke about the talented Mr. Chidharara and how his work is helping to make a difference in the world through the sale of his stone carvings at ZimArt’s Rice Lake Gallery—Canada’s foremost centre for the study, exhibition and sale of Shona sculpture (for more information about Zimbabwean stone sculpture visit www.zimart.ca).
Continuing the Zimbabwean theme, our musical performances were by Nhapitapi, a Toronto based Zimbabwean Music Movement that specializes in rich old musical and dance traditions from southern Africa.
Simon Chidharara's sculptures are currently on display in Temmerty Commons and in the Labatt North Quad. All members of the community are welcome to join us on the evening of May 6, from 7 pm to 9 pm, to view this exhibition of outstanding sculpture and to meet the artist.
A percentage of any sculpture sold through this exhibition will support the construction of the Maori Primary School in Zimbabwe. We are pleased that ZimArt’s Rice Lake Gallery is now one of our community partners, and we look forward to this wonderful event marking the start of this new collaboration.
